


The Certainty of Fire

by lha



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Culmets - Freeform, Episode: s02e13-14 Such Sweet Sorrow Parts 1-2, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27044671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lha/pseuds/lha
Summary: Hugh and Paul in and around the end of Discovery Season 2 - Such Sweet Sorrow.I can't believe I didn't jump on this bandwagon when it aired so, just before all my pondering becomes unnecessary I wanted to share this little insight from the perspectives of our our favourite space boos.
Relationships: Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	The Certainty of Fire

So often lately, Hugh had felt like an observer; that it was like he was watching a world, a life he no longer had any investment in. The parting with Paul, the well meaning endeavours of others to try and help, all of it felt…. _other_ somehow. Removed. He’d hoped that making a proactive decision, that deciding to transfer to the Enterprise would bring a certainty but it hadn’t, but maybe it wasn’t really decided until he’d spoken to Paul, committed himself to the plan. All Hugh had felt after Paul had wished him well though, was the muffled sense of loss and grief that had surrounded him since his return.  


He’d almost done it though, left Discovery, left Paul to try and forge a new path. Until suddenly it was clearer than anything he’d ever known about himself that he just couldn’t. That this was where he belonged and that this was where his duty lay. The battle meant that no one had so much as asked when he’d walked into medical.  


“Here, take these to bay three,” Pollard had said, once she’d greeted him with a nod. The routine of crisis was not only familiar but the adrenaline made him feel more alive than at any point since the fight with Tyler. Being able to help felt right. It was always hard to really know how things were going from where they were working but the little of what Hugh heard of the response to Pollard’s request for additional hands gave him a good.  


They were a good team and they’d seen action together before. Despite that, they were struggling now. They had run out of beds and the constant wave of casualties was overwhelming their triaging capacity. Hugh was stabilising an exposed femur break when for some unspecified reason he had looked up and seen… “Paul,” he breathed.  


“Go,” someone said, taking over from what he was doing, pushing him in the direction of his husband. That was it. There wasn’t time to understand it then, but that was the first moment when something other than rage or fear broke through the blanket around him. Love, longing and the certainty that he would do absolutely anything for this man broke over him like a wave, threatening to drown him but instead buoying him on.  


Paul was dying. He had already lost enough blood that all of his systems were shutting down. It wasn’t going to happen though, not today, not ever if Hugh had his way. “You’re going to be ok Paul, I’m here. Just let me look after you…” he spoke as he worked, trying to repair the damage while the ship bucked beneath them more than the internal dampers could compensate for. There were other things going on, other patients, other medics calling for supplies, but in that moment there was only the two of them.  


“Hugh?”  


“I’m here love,” he said, “just try to relax. Let me look after you.”

_____

Paul was on fire. He was almost certain of it.  


“Easy there.” The voice seemed far away but he knew it like he knew his own. He tried to speak to confirm that it was Hugh because something told him it couldn’t be though. 

“Shhh,” the voice said. “It’s ok, I’ve got you.”  


“H… fire?” he asked, the smell of burnt ozone confirming his suspicion that he must be in flames.  


“You’re running a fever Paul, and Discovery’s taken a beating but you’ve both made it.”  


“Hmmm…” he said, letting his head roll in the direction of Hugh’s voice. “Did it work?”  


“It looks like it worked. We’re in the future Paul.” Hugh was stroking his hair and something cool settled on his forehead.  


“We’re always and never in the future, Dear Doctor...” he could hear the slur in his own voice. “The question is which one.”  


“Here,” Hugh was holding something up to his mouth, wetting his dry lips.  


Paul made a quiet contented noise at the simple pleasure, “Mmmmm.”  


“Can you open your eyes for me Paul?” Hugh asked when he’d removed the cup. He tried, peeling sticky eyelids back and expecting to be blinded by the light. It was dim though, back up power only then. There were people everywhere. “There you are,” Hugh’s smile was open and honest.  


“Here I am. In the future with my Dear Doctor. Nowhere else I’d rather be.”  


“Oh Paul,” Hugh sighed, leaning over and placing his lips on Paul’s brow. He tried to lift his hand, to cup the back of his head and run his thumb over that soft skin behind Hugh’s ear the way the other man loved. He barely managed to lift his arm an inch though before the pain exploded out across his side and shoulder. “Don’t… Try not to move,” Hugh instructed, “that shrapnel very nearly killed you and we’re having to conserve supplies. You’re patched up but not much more.”  


“Worth it.”  


“It does seem like Michael was successful,” Hugh said, his hand continuing to card through Paul’s hair as his heart began to slow and the pain recede.  


“I’m glad,” he sighed, weariness creeping over him. “But not as glad as I am that you’re here. Love you, Hugh. However you want me to but please... just let me love you.”  


“I love you too, Paul. More than anything,” Hugh’s hand stilled and there was another weighty kiss placed on Paul’s brow. “Rest now and I’ll be here when you wake up.” Paul drifted away, content that the future was exactly where he wanted to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as ever for reading and I hope you've enjoyed. Your feedback really does mean the world to me so please do share your thoughts below, or find me on twitter!  
> Lx  
> @LHA_again


End file.
